Israeli government loses main coalition partner

(CNN) The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday lost its main coalition partner, the centrist political faction Kadima.

Speaking at a press conference near Tel Aviv, Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz announced his party’s departure from the coalition, over failed attempts to agree on an alternative to the law that exempts ultra-Orthodox men from serving in the Israeli army.

“With great regret I must say that there is no alternative but to retire from this government,” said Mofaz. “This issue is fundamentally important to us. I was determined to reach an understanding with Netanyahu, but we simply cannot carry on.”